United Way of the Cape Fear Area Receives $50,000 Grant
Written by AHCSENC   

Grant will support the efforts of the 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness

 WILMINGTON, N.C. – United Way of the Cape Fear Area has received a $50,000 grant from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) Foundation to fund a dedicated SOAR caseworker position.  That caseworker will represent chronically homeless people in applying for Social Security disability benefits, SSI and Medicare.

 

 A cornerstone of the national 10-Year Plan concept, SOAR caseworkers greatly improve a disabled homeless person’s likelihood of being approved for benefits. SOAR is the acronym for “Social Security/SSI Outreach, Access and Recovery.”  It is a recognized best practice for helping homeless people access both the income stream necessary to acquire subsidized housing and the medical insurance coverage that links them to a primary care provider. 

 “Unrepresented, chronically homeless applicants have a dismal allowance rate of about 15%, said Dan Ferrell, Strategic Director for the 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness in the Cape Fear Region.  “Representation by a SOAR caseworker can increase the allowance rate to as high as 90% and reduce the processing time from years to less than 90 days.” 

 “We applaud the efforts of United Way of the Cape Fear Area and value this opportunity to continue to align our foundation with organizations, programs and people committed to improving the health and well-being of North Carolinians,” said Kathy Higgins, president of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation.

 The 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and Reduce Homelessness in the Cape Fear Region, managed and partially funded as a community initiative by United Way of the Cape Fear Area, was launched in May 2008.  Its primary goal is to reduce the cost of homelessness to the community by rapidly transitioning chronically homeless people into supportive housing – housing with support services wrapped around. 

 Ferrell said getting chronically homeless people off the street and into stable housing is a key to improving the health of this vulnerable population.  Medicaid coverage will also allow them to establish primary care medical relationships with health care providers.

 “With Medicaid, homeless people can receive covered treatment for chronic medical conditions from a primary care provider instead of having to seek treatment at hospital emergency rooms for unmanaged conditions that become acute.” said Ferrell.

 According to Ferrell, United Way will sign a contract with Coastal Triangle Disability Advocates, a local non-profit organization, to hire and manage the SOAR caseworker.  United Way and the 10 Year Plan will manage the grant, track progress and measure the results. 

 The SOAR caseworker should be in place early next year and will begin representing chronically homeless clients at that time. 

 Statewide, the BCBSNC Foundation invested more than $726,000 in grants to 32 organizations as part of this most recent grant cycle. The BCBSNC Foundation focuses on three key areas: improving the health outcomes of vulnerable populations served by safety-net organizations, promoting healthy and physically active communities, and increasing the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations in the state. More information can be found at www.bcbsncfoundation.org.